This invention relates generally to food preparation utensils, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for straightening peeled uncooked shrimp for use in the preparation of a shrimp tempura dish.
Shrimp tempura is a well known Japanese food dish which has become popular throughout the world. Basically, shrimp tempura consists of a shrimp coated with a light batter and then deep fried in a heated cooking oil. In contrast to many other types of shrimp dishes, shrimp tempura is unique in that the finally prepared shrimp are presented in a straightened manner. Consequently, it is necessary to remove the naturally-occurring curvature of the shrimp prior to finally preparing the dish. Furthermore, the shrimp must be straightened in a consistent manner which avoids severe tearing, squashing, and other damage to the body and texture of the shrimp. Conventionally, tempura chefs have straightened shrimp by hand. As any tempura chef can attest to, learning to effectively and efficiently straighten uncooked shrimp in this manner requires substantial practice. Consequently, inexperienced tempura chefs are commonly inefficient at preparing this dish and are often responsible for substantial waste due to the necessary discarding of damaged shrimp. Furthermore, even seasoned tempura chefs find the manual shrimp straightening process time-consuming and tedious.
Accordingly, there is a well-established need for an easy-to-use shrimp straightening tool enabling peeled uncooked shrimp to be effectively and efficiently straightened while leaving the body and texture of the shrimp substantially intact for use preparing a shrimp tempura dish. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide such a tool having a simple design and construction enabling the tool to be cost-effectively manufactured.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable, lightweight device for straightening peeled, uncooked shrimp for use in the preparation of a shrimp tempura dish.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shrimp straightening device which can be used with minimal instruction and practice to effectively straighten shrimp in a uniform and efficient manner.
In one aspect of the invention, the shrimp-straightening device comprises a resilient member having an arcuate geometry defined by a concave inner surface, a convex outer surface, forward and rear ends, and right and left bottom edges. The lower surface, or inner surface, is sized and shaped for contacting the dorsal side of the shrimp during the shrimp-straightening operation. The main body of the device has a C-shaped horizontal cross section, and is further defined by a longitudinal median line having a smooth continuous convex curvature. A handle member is provided attached to the convex outer surface to enable a user to grip the device and deflect it while pressing against a working surface.
In a second aspect of the invention, the device includes a rigid main body having an arcuate semi-cylindrical geometry particularly designed for being rocked longitudinally against a planar surface during use. The main body is defined by an inner surface, an outer surface, front and rear ends, and left and right lower edges. A gripping means is provided attached to the outer surface and extends upwardly therefrom. The outer surface has a concave shape along its longitudinal median and a convex shape along its horizontal median. The inner surface has a convex shape along its longitudinal median and a concave shape along its horizontal median. In use, the device is rolled back and forth longitudinally to compress the shrimp between the inner surface of the rigid member and the work surface to remove the natural curvature of the shrimp.
In a third aspect of the invention, serrated teeth are provided along a length of at least one of the left and right bottom edges of the main body for use slashing the underside of the shrimp prior to straightening.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, an upper resilient member is provided hingedly attached at its rear end to a lower planar member. A pair of tab members are provided extending vertically upwards from an upper surface of the lower planar member, each tab having an aperture provided therethrough. A pair of pin members are provided inserted through the tab apertures and a corresponding pair of aligned apertures provided in the upper resilient member. In this aspect of the invention, the upper and lower members cooperate in a rotating manner to effect straightening of the shrimp.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, a resilient semi-cylindrical holder is provided having a concave inner surface, a convex outer surface, forward and rear ends, and inwardly extending right and left bottom edges each having an integral lip portion defining a pair of longitudinally extending guide rails. The holder is particularly adapted for slidably receiving corresponding resilient semi-cylindrical insert members sized and shaped for engaging shrimp during the straightening operation.